great thought to all who receive it in the right frame of mind. To cultivate cheerfulness is just as necessary as to cultivate ability and skill. So, therefore, the prevention or cure of despondency is just as important as the prevention or cure of any physical disease. The despondent mind is a sick mind, and a sick mind is more of an obstacle to human welfare than a sick body. For this reason no one can afford to live on any other side than the sunny side. All other sides mean sickness, failure and premature death.

If our object in life is progress, growth, advancement and perpetual increase we must eliminate despondency in all its phases, and permanently establish in its place a state of perpetual joy. Happiness is the normal state of mind. When your mind is in perfect health it is always happy. In fact, a healthy mind cannot be otherwise than happy. Therefore, when you are not happy your mind is sick and needs attention. And it needs attention, first, because a sick mind may produce both moral and physical disease; and second, because a sick mind cannot do its work properly. Thousands of cases of intemperance and crime can be traced to sick or disappointed minds. And tens of thousands of failures had their beginnings in the same way. To overcome despondency, therefore, and all phases of unhappiness is a matter of the greatest importance.